Just Because
by Vic'chonn
Summary: There are some things men just need to learn


Hello,

I'm aware I haven't updated AICSY for a long time. However, I just can't seem to find the inspiration to write the next chapter. The final one has been "sitting" on my computer for three years now. But whatever path the story needs to go through to get there… it's been hard to type it down. A lot of it has to do with the many changes in my life. When I started AICSY, I was at a different emotional state. Now, I'm about to start again, anew in a road that I feel both excited and afraid to take.

Life hasn't been easy in the last five years or so. I used to look at the world with an optimistic view. Now, I'm simply trying not to conform and keep going. In any case, I'm writing this as therapy. Reality has become emotionally difficult, so instead, I'm taking refuge in my fantasy world. I will try to finish AICSY—I just don't know how long it will take. Please bear with me.

**Disclaimer**: Rurouni Kenshin is not mine

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**Just Because**

She smiled indulgently at him as she stood in front of the kitchen stove. Two pots were sizzling with who knows what—he really didn't want to know—but at least nothing smelt burnt.

Whatever she was making he would eat, or try to eat, he decided. It wasn't everyday that he would find his wife home before him and cooking nonetheless. In fact, it was a bit bizarre since it was tax season and she was supposed to work late—for the whole month—as it was customary for those involved in accounting. Correction, those practicing accounting in a firm (he secretly gave himself a pat for choosing teaching the subject to college students who _thought_ they knew better. Sometimes the kids would drive him mad but it beat dealing with supposedly professionals who _should_ know better).

He walked to stand next to her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Looking down at the pots, he frowned.

"Kaoru, love… uhm… why are you boiling, green and purple water?"

Still smiling, she crooked her head to the side and looked at him with suspiciously shinny eyes.

"For tie-dye of course!"

If she had told him that she was trying to make purple and green colored ravioli he wouldn't have been caught by surprise as he was now.

"Tie… what?" He blinked and seeing her lack of reaction to his, well, carefully masked shock, he asked again, "What for?"

Kaoru chose not to answer him immediately and leaned down to pick up something that looked like some bound white cloth and dropped it into the pot with purple water. Only then, he realized that there was a box with plenty of the same thing she had just thrown into the pot.

After picking another one and placing it into the other pot, his wife lowered the fire of both pots and turned to look at him, still smiling.

"You see, my dear Kenshin," she began explaining and Kenshin could only feel dread as he heard the tone of her voice. Maybe he shouldn't have finished the pint of oatmeal and chocolate ice cream the night before—his wife could be quite vicious if deprived of food. "The company is holding a picnic for its anniversary this coming weekend and has assembled many teams to take care of some of the logistics. My team is in charge of determining the food and drinks that will be served!" She finished quite enthusiastically and returned to look at her… current work.

He nodded slowly but the frown that had appeared on his face didn't go away. "OK. But why do you need to do tie-dye? In fact, what are you dyeing?"

His wife turned again to look at him and replied almost _too_ enthusiastically, "Team shirts, silly!"

Stunned was not even cutting it but Kenshin nodded stupidly for a second time. "For your team?" He asked while trying to quench the feeling that that had been an asinine question.

"Yup. Since there will also be games, someone proposed that it would save us lots of time to maintain the teams we have now instead of creating new teams according to departments. Besides, that way, we also get to know people from other areas. I just met this girl from the legal section and she's delightful! Her name is Misao and she'll come in about half hour to help me finish this."

"OK."

"Yes, and honey, it's so great that I was able to find this tie-dye thing. It's so much fun. It's like cooking but instead of making something to eat, you make something to wear."

"I can see that."

"And since there are not rules about color combinations or any specific patterns one should follow, nothing can be ruined!"

Kenshin watched as his wife removed the cloth that had been placed into the pot with purple water to the one with green water, and also transferred the cloth that had originally been in the green water to the purple water. He mentally cringed.

"I'm so happy I found the purple dye. It will match your eyes color!"

At that last sentence, Kenshin opened his eyes wide and looked at his smiling wife frantically.

"Match my eyes color? What?"

"Yes, you're in my team, of course. We'll be the only team wearing tie-dye shirts. How original is that."

For what felt like endless minutes, Kenshin could only stand in silence and watch his wife dye more shirts.

"It'll be so much fun. I know you said you have to grade some papers but we both need some time distressing. It's hell month after all." Kaoru rambled on ignoring Kenshin's silence or dumbfounded face.

The sound of the doorbell suddenly snapped him out of his reverie just in time for Kaoru to give him what looked like multicolor tainted wooden spoon.

"That should be Misao. Could you keep an eye on the shirts, honey? Make sure that all the white spots are covered, OK?" Giving her husband a kiss, Kaoru moved away from the stove and started leaving the kitchen.

Standing idly, Kenshin stared at the two pots and then at the spoon he was holding in his hands. His wife's voice from the kitchen's door reached his ears and he looked up.

"And babe, next time you finish _my _ice cream, I won't be as nice. And if you decide to suddenly be very busy or be called for a conference this weekend, there won't be sex for two weeks."

Watching his wife gainfully walk away from the kitchen, Kenshin sighed dejectedly. While he was tempted to avoid wearing the abomination he was currently stirring, he knew that he would not survive two weeks without the touch of his sweet wife. Damn it, stupid ice cream.


End file.
